Page 108 - "Mississippi in the 1st Person" - Michael James Stone (Demo/Free)

Apparently he didn’t think it was funny either because he was mad dash paddling forward and
back to jigger his canoe out of the stuck position he was in.

I would have called out immediately and visited with him some and maybe take a picture or

two but he seemed mad.

It was obvious this guy was not only in a hurry, but mad about being delayed.

He was older like me and had nice enough canoe, but I had learned that some canoe people

were pretty touchy about canoes and canoe building, canoe areas, canoe heaven, kayak hell,
and a host of other seemingly “fading glory” items I would run into the land of the Canoe and
to hell with kayak’s and paddlewheels.

This was Mississippi River spelled C.A.N.O.E. and don’t you forget it.

It took 5 minutes but you can see a lot of human nature in 5 irate minutes. When he got free
and passed me I could see he was soaked in perspiration. I felt sorry for him even though I re-
ally wanted to visit.

Instead I just called out casually. “Going Far?”

YEAH

He wore his agreement like a swear word and so I let sleeping dogs lie or this case leave with-
out even a picture.

“Jerk” I thought, then I giggled.

Way out in the middle of no where as far as I knew and the first person I meet soloing remind-
ed me instantly why I solo and don’t go in crowds.

He was what I wanted to get away from.

Still it has to be said that as I lived in Alaska Bush with a wide variety of characters, and I one

of them, in the winter if you saw someone, you helped someone. Or at the very least had a
drink, a meal, a smile or a chat. Winters in Alaska made for instant family in the Bush.

Generally speaking I was having the time of my life. Evergreens were fun and while I was get-
ting bumped and bruised some and a few scrapes, I was also acclimating and building muscle

mass.

Just the very nature of traveling and paddling is a pretty good work out and I was losing weight
and developing a hefty appetite. So every chance I got I was sticking something in my mouth.

Something to eat, something to drink, something to chew on.

That was part of the reason I developed my “decks” on the lead kayak. So I could easy access
things for the day or week I might need without digging in cargo boxes.